Coin operated mechanism



Sept. 12, 1933 C. B. GILMORE COIN OPERATED MECHANISM Filed March 6, 1930 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Za a p 1933. c. B. GILMORE 'COIN OPERATED MECHANISM 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fi led March 6, 1930 waive/770?": .523 (717/2702? WvM P 1933. c. B. GILMORE 1,926,232

COIN OPERATED MECHANI SM llllllll Filed March 6, 1930 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented'Sept. 12,19 33 1,926,232.

COIN OPERATED MECHANISM. 7 Charles B. ;Gilnire, Chicago, Ill., assignor 'to 0. D. Jennings. & Company, Chicago, III. a corporation of Illinois I w Application March. 6, 1930 Serial No. 433,550d v 10 Claims. (01. isms-.1 e v y This invention relates to a coin control appa- Fig. 3 is an enlarged detailed view el'evaratus and has for its object to provide a contion of the coin chute andits associatedparts; struction in which simple and novel means in Fig. 4'- is aright side elevation of Fig. 3; the form of a coin stop, and which is associated Fig. 5 is a horizontal sectional view, taken on.

5 with a coin chute, is provided for blocking the the line 55- of Fig. 3. and looking in the direc 60 normal path of the coins so as to return subsetion of the arrows;

quently deposited coins before thepreviously de-" Fig. 6 is a rear View of the. lower-portion of posited coin has affected the operatio n of .suitthe coin chute illustrated inFig. 3:; j able vending mechanism associated therewith. Fig. 7 .is' aperspective view of the coin re- 10 Another object of my invention is the provision tainer latch associated with'the delivery end of 65' of means associated with acoin stop to maintain the coin chute. i c the same in a positive blocking position to pre- Fig. '8 is an enlarged detailedviewin front vent spurious tokens from being deposited beelevation of a modified form of coin tripping. fore the previously deposited coin has affected mechanism associated withthe coin chute.

the mechanism, to maliciously disable the Figx9 is a right-side elevation of. Fig. 8.v 70 mechanism. V f 7 Fig: 10' is an enlarged'detai led view in front.

A further object of my invention is to provide elevationof still another modified form of the? a coin stop in association with acoin chute which, coin tripping mechanismassociated with the upon the insertion of a token. therein. is incoin chute;

stantlymovedinto blocking position'to. prevent Fig. 11- is aright-side elevation of Fig. 10.

another token from being deposited should the heDrE invention? can p t0 operator inadvertently insert another token vending machirfe or other coin control apparatus. without aifecting the operationof the mecha- In the drawingsthe actuatingand coin controlled nism with the previously deposited coin. devices of such an apparatus only are shown. 25 A still further object of my invention-is to As shown the coin controlled machine or approvide spring means associated Withjthe coin paratusis arranged within an incl'o'singcasing Y stopwhich is engaged by a deposited coin to 1, and the actuating and coin controlling devices move the stop into blocking position to yieldingare mounted upon an upright bracket 2, fixed 1y hold the coin stop against a face of thecoin within the forward portion of the casing. llhe 7 O9 chute. I main operating lever 3 ismoun-ted on a'pivot j A still further object of my invention is to prol, on one side of the. bracket 2' and projects forvide a spring member on the coin'stop which enward through a slot 5 in the casing 1, the forgages a deposited coin to force the same against W 63 l being D d W a face of the coin chute irrespective of the thickoperating handle 6/ The inner end'of' the lever ness of thecoin to yieldingly hold thefcoin stop is opemfively' connected y a k t t e 99 in blocking position, j vending or other means which are to be actuated.

'A" still further object of my invention is to pro- The spring -8 connected to the upper portion of vide a machinedface in the coin chute adjacent the bracket Zand to the actuating lever 3 holds to the machined-edge of the coin stop top'rovicle the latterf in" its normal position against thea substantially perfect'.metal-to-meta1 contact stop 9 on the bracket 2. A full stroke ratchet when the coin'stop is moved' into blocking posi- 1 0', is' fornied upon the centralportion. of the tion. I r lever 3. It is arranged to cooperate with .a With this and other objects in viewtheinpivoted, spring-retaining pawli'il xon the bracket vention consists of novel details of construction 2 to compel a complete shift of the. lever 3 before andarrangement of parts asQwill bemore fully it "can be returned to its: normal. position. 0 hereinafter disclosed in the ensuing specifica- A locking latch lz for-controlling the actuation tion and particularly pointed out in the claims. of the lever is mounted at its lower end. upon- Referring to the drawings forming part of this a pivot 13 secured to the lower frontportion oi specification and in which like reference charthe bracket (2. Thelatch extends upwardly on acters designate like parts inthe several views: one side of the lever 3- and is provided at its Fig.-l is a side elevation, partly. in section, of inner edge with a curved or are shaped portion a coin controlled apparatus to which my invenllwhich terminates at its upper endin ashouldr tion is applied; c 15. Above the shoulder, the lever 1211s provided Fig. 2. is a sectional view on the line 2--2 of with a rearwardly extending cam portion. I6

Fig. l, with the apparatus in front elevation; which is arranged to'engage alaterally projecti ing lug 17, formed upon the lever 3. A spring 18 is connected at one end to a hook 19 on-the.

upper end of the latch 12 and at its opposite end to a pin secured to the bracket2. The spring without inserting coin, but unless a coin is inserted the spring 18 will move the latch .12 rear wardly as the lever 3 is depressedand, after a slight initial movement of the lever, the lug 17 will thereupon engage the shoulder 15 of the latch 12 thereby arresting the actuating lever andlock ing the lever 3 against further movements This slight initial movement of the actuating lever 3 is not sufficient to bring the pawl 11 in engagement with the teeth of theratchet 10. I p

The latch 12 iscontrolled by alever 20.,which is. pivotally secured intermediate of its ends by a pivot 21 fixed to the upper front portion of the bracket 2. The lower end ofthelever 20 is provided with a pin 22, ,whiclri projects into a vertical slot 23 formed in the upper end of the latch 12. The upper end of the lever 20 is off-set over the upper portion of the bracket 2 and carries a pluger or finger 24 whichv is adjustably fixed thereto by a set screw-25; the said finger 24 extending forwardly therefrom toward the coin'chute C of the apparatus. ,As the latch 12 shifts from its normal to its locking position duringvthe initial movement of the actuating lever 3, the upper end of the arm 20 moves forwardly'and the finger 24 is forced through a suitable opening formed in the coin chute C. If a coin or taken of a predetermined size is inserted into the coin chute C, it will be engaged by the plunger or finger 24 so that the coin and the'lever 20 will prevent the shiftof thelatch 12 to its locking position and the operativemovement of the actuating lever 3 vcan be completed. The complete movement of the -lever 3 is arrested by the'engagement of the lug l'l onthe said lever 3 with a stop shoulder 26 formed upon the forward edge of the bracket 2.

The coin chute C is comprised of a back plate 27 and a front cover plate 28in which the coin slot 29 is formed, the said cover plate 28 being fixed to the rear plate. 27 by means of the screws 30. The coin chute is fixed to the upper end of.

the bracket 2 by screws 31 which have threaded engagement with tapped orificesin the lugs 32 integral with the front plate 28. The coin chute C extends upwardly from the bracket 2 through the top of the casing 1, the upper end of the cover plate 28 being laterally off-set and is provided with an opening 33 through which the coins are inserted. a

A coin retaining latch 35 illustrated clearly in Fig. 7 is pivotally secured to a lug 36 on thefront cover plate 28ofthe coin chute C, the body portion of which extends upwardly into a'slot 37 in the front cover plate 28. A laterally extending stop 39 at the upper end of the latch 35 extends into the cutout portion of notch40 in the back plate 27 of the coin chute C and partially proj ects into the right hand portion of the coin'slot 28 with respect toFig. 3. A spring 41, the ends of which are secured respectively to an arm 42 of the latch 35 and a lug 43 .on the rear plate 27 holds the latch35 in its normal" position with received by the coin chute is of such thickness the stop 39 partly extending into the coin slot 29 of the coin chute.

The insertion of a coin in the opening 33 will pass through the coin slot 29 and willbe arrested in operative position in the coin slot, by the 0 stop 39 of the latch35 as indicated at a in Figs. 3 and 6. The deposited coin lies in front of the forward end of the plunger 24 andwill arrest the movement of the same as described and prevent the movement of the latch 12 to its locking position so that the actuating lever 3 can be completely operated. The release of the coin as indicated at a is under the control of a lever 45 provided with a substantially vertical portion 46 andv an intermediate portion 47 formed at right angles thereto and a substantially vertical, upwardly extending portion 48 which extends parallel with the coin chute C but forward of the'same. The lever 45 is pivotally secured intermediate of its ends by a pivot pin 49 secured to the bracket;2 and its lower end is provided with a slot 50having a substantially vertical portion 51 and an angular off-set portion 52. A pin 53 extends through the slot, 50 and is in turn secured to the actuating lever 3 which when de- 109 pressed causesthe pin 53 to move down through the vertical portion of the slot and its entrance into the angul'arportion 52 causes the lever 45 to be moved about its pivot, causing the upper end 48 which is forward of the 'coin chute C to move toward the same. Theupper end of the lever 45 carries a plunger or finger 55 which is adjustably secured thereto by a set screw 56 and this movement ofpthe upper end of the lever 45 new moves the finger 55 into engagement with the face of an integrally formed angularly extending arm 5'7 of the latch 35 which lies forward of the coin chute C and parallel thereto to move the latch 35 about its pivot against the ten- M sion of the spring'41. The stop 39 is now moved from the coin chute 29 and from the path of the'arrested coin to permit the same to drop into a suitable receptacle. The vertical portion 51 of the slot 50 in the lower end of the lever 45 permits movement of the lever 3 when thesame is 4 depressed without inserting a coinas before described, withoutaffecting the movement of the latch 35. a

' Difficulty has been experienced in coin chutes of this character in that a subsequent spurious tokenof a diameter to be received by the coin slot but very much thinner than that of a regul'arjcoiiror token is inserted before the previously inserted token or coin of the proper kind has operated the mechanism associated with the coin chute, to maliciously render the mechanism inoperative. This token or slug although the same diameter. as the proper token or coin to be that when it hasv reached the previously inserted token or coin, the contacting edges of the two tokens will overlap with the result that this overlapping condition will cause the thin spurious slug or token to jam 'in the coin slot and thus render the mechanism inoperative until this jammingcondition is removed. To overcome this condition there is provided an automatic trip devicewhich will cause subsequent coins to be thrown or deflected out of the coin slot until the previously inserted coinor token has caused the mechanism ,to operate, said" subsequent insertions of coins or tokens or slugs of the character described above being returned to the depositor.

To this end there is provided on the front plate 28'of the coin chute C'ja trip member 60 having 0 pivot 64 in position against displacement. The

body portion 61 of the trip member is provided with an integrally formed upwardly extending arm 68, the upper portion of which is bent forward to provide an enlarged end portion 69,

at right angles to the main body portion and the said arm 68. This end portion'constitutes the coin stop 69 which is adapted to extend into and reciprocate in a slot provided therefor in the front plate 28 of the coin chute C and to further-extend acrossthe coin slot 29 between the front and rear plates of the coin chute C. The opening 70 into which the coin stop 69extends is angularly disposed to a horizontal plane and the stop member 69 is also located in a plane likewise angularly disposed to a horizontal plane, thus providing the stop member 69 with an in clined upper surface. a

The depending arm '71 integral with the body 61 of the trip member 60 has secured to it .by rivets or other suitable means a leaf spring 72 slightly bowed and constructed of suitable spring material such as phosphore bronze. The free end of the spring 72 extends through vertically aligned slots 73 in the front and rear plates of the coin chute C and the-coin slot 29. The trip member 60 is so pivotedth'at its balance is such that the weight of the lower portion of the same maintains the leaf spring 72, normally extending through slots 73 inthe front and back plates of the coin chute C and the stop member 69 fat the top of the same, substantially forward of the slot 70. V V e Upon insertion of a coin or token shown in Fig. 3 and indicated by the character b the advancing edge of the descending coin will engage the its downward movement is flexed against its normal tension and as the coin or token comes to rest against the stop 39 of the latch 35 as indicated at a in Figsp3 and 6, the tip of the spring 72 is in engagement with the face of the coin as illustrated in Fig. 4. v 1

The depth of the slot passage 29, as clearly illustrated in Fig. 5, is slightly greater than the thickness of the coinor token that is deposited but with the construction just described the tension of the flexed spring 72 is such as to force the coin or token against the inner face of the rear plate 27 of the coin chute' C to firmly but yieldingly hold the edge '75 of the coin stop 69 against the machined surface 76 to prevent any movement of the trip member 60 about its pivot.

Upon a subsequent coin being inserted before the deposited coin has operated the mechanism, it is obvious with reference to Figs. 3 and 4 that the stop member 69 now lying across the coin slot 28 will not only actually stop said subsequently coin indicated at b to roll-sideways out of the slot 29through the opening 80 in the side of the-coin chute C and into a suitable return'chute 81 shown dotted in Fig. 3. With the arrangement asabove described should a spurious token other than that of the prescribed'kind and of a certain thickness be deposited and an attempt to drop another spurious token of the same type into the coin slot 29 to cause the twooverlapping tokens thus deposited to jam the'coin slot 29 as previously pointed out, the'instant that the first I token contacts the leaf spring '72 in its downward movement in the coin slot 29, the trip member 60 is moved about its pivot to cause the coin stop 69 to close the coin slot. 29. and the arrest of the token by thestop arm 39 of the latch 35 will find the top of the leaf spring 72in engagement with the face of this deposited slug to force the same against the inside face of the back plate 27 and the tension of the flexed spring 72 is such as to maintain the edge of the coin stop 69 in engagement with the machined portion of the inner face of the back plate 27; .thus the subsequent insertion of anytoken of a'similar type is deflected by the inclined face of the coin stop 69 into the conveyor 8l. This type of construction as just described eliminates anypossibility of jamming the coin slot 29 due to reasons already pointed out. r 7

Referring now to Figs. 8 and 9,-there is shown 1 a modified form of trip member 85 associated with the coin chute C previously described- The trip.

member 85'is secured to the front plate '28 of the coin chute bya pivot which extends through suitable lugs on the plate 28 and rearwardly extending .ear s on the body portion of the trip member '85 similar to the. trip member 60 in Figs. 3 and'4.

An upwardly'extending arm similar to'the arm 6 8 i s also provided'with a forwardly bent porson and an enlarged end portionprojecting at right angles to the enlargedend portion and this end portion also constitutes a coin stop 69 which extends into a slot 70 as shown inFigs. 8 and 9. The end69 reciprocates'in a slot 70 and further extends across the coin'slot 29 into the coin chute, the saidslot 70 and coin stop69 also being angularly'disposedtoa horizontal plane. The integrally formed depending arm of the trip' member 85 is provided with a depending finger 86 which extends through vertically" aligned slots 73in the front and back plates 28 and '27 of the coin chute C. The trip member 85 so pivoted that its balance is such that the weight of the lower portion maintains the stop member: 69 at the top of the same substantially outof the angular slot 70 and thedepending finger 86 extending through the vertical slots '73v in the respective plates of the coin chute C to traverse coin slot 29; A bowed leaf spring 9Uis secured to the rear 1,, face of the back plate 27 of the coin chute C by suitable rivets and extends forwardlythrough the vertical slots 73 in the respective front and rear plates of the coin chute C, as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 9. The leaf spring 90 extends through the slots to the left of the depending finger of thetrip member with reference to Fig.

8 and also traverses a portion of thecoin slot ,29. Y

8, the-advancing edge of the descending'coin will engage the crotch formed by the oppositely e x" forcing the edge of the coin stop 69'into engagee ment with a machined portion of the inner face of the rear-plate of the coinchute adjacent to the coin stop, thus bridgingthe same across the coin slot 29. The finger'86. when the coinisin i its arrested position engaging the stop 39 of the latch 35, engages the front face of the coin with respect to Fig. 9 and the tip of the spring 90 in turn engaging the rear face of the coin. The tension of the flexed spring '90 is such as to force the face of the coin' resting in thecoin slot 29 into engagement with the inside face of the front plate of the coin chute and as the finger 86 engages this face of the coin,- the coin stop' 69 is pressed firmly into engagement with the inner face of the back plate of the co'inchute to prevent any movement of the operated trip member85. I It is readily apparent from the above description that if a slug other than a coin or token of the prescribed kind and also -much thinner is inserted into the coin slot, the same, when are rested by the stop arm 39 of the latch plate 35, is forced against the inner face of the front plate of the coin chute by the spring 90 which also moves the finger 86,, as is readily apparent, to maintain the edge of the inclined stop 69 against a the machined inner face of the rear plate of the coin chute C. The spring 99, although independent of the trip member 85, serves the same purpose of the spring 72 of Figs. 3 and 4.- and in association with the depending finger 86 onthe trip member'85 provides means to allow the trip,

- member 85 to adjust its upper inclined coin stop described.

69 with the inner. face of the rear plate of the coin chute so that after a coin has been deposited in the coin slot, and is positioned in the lower portion of the coin slot, whether of, the

prescribed kind or a slug for the purpose of ma liciously jamming thesarne is inserted, any sub-j sequent coin in the coin slot-will be deflected by the inclined face of; the coin stop 69 through the opening in the side of the coin chute as before In Figs. 10 and 11 is shown another modified form of trip member 95, in which the upwardly extending arm of the same is in the forrnof a resilient member 96 and is-secured to an integrally formed upwardly projecting portion 97 by means of suitable rivets; The member 96 is provided with an enlarged end portion which is bent forward at right angles to the body of the same and also at an angle to a horizontalplane'. This angular portionis adapted to'extend into and reciprocate in a slot '10 which is also angularly disposed to horizontal plane and when in actuated position extends into the coin slot to form a coin stop. The trip member 95 is also provided with a depending finger 98 of the same form as described in connection with Figs. .8 and 9. When a coin is deposited in the coin slot 29 of the coin chute C,'the descending coinengages the finger 98 to move the trip member 95 about its pivot to move the coin stop 99 into the slot '79 to bridge the same across the said coin ,slot. edge of the coin stop 99 is in engagement with the machines inner face of the back plate 27. The

descent of the coin is arrested by the stop 39 on In this position the.

plate 27, causing the resilient member 96 to be flexed; Due to this fiexure of the member 96 the coin or token which is engaged by the finger 98 isforced against the inside face of the back plate 27 and held in this position under the tension of the member 95, and with the coin stop-99 in positive engagement'with'the inside face of the back plate 27, thus any subsequent coin whether of the-prescribed kind or .a slug for the purpose of maliciously jamming the same, is inserted into the coin slot, it will be deflected by the inclined face of the coin stop 99 through the opening in the side of the coin chute as previously described. Having thus; described the preferred embodiment of my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by United States Letters Patent is:

1. In a machine of the class described, a coin chute, mechanism controlled by a coin deposited in said chute, and tiltable means for closing said coin chute to the passage of a second coin until after the saidrnechanism has operated under the control ofsaid deposited coin, comprising a movable member having a head projectable into said coin until after said mechanism has operated under the control of saiddeposited coin, and spring, means actuated by said deposited coin for moving said stop into blocking position and yieldingly holding said stop "against a wall of said chute g. '1

3. In a machine of the class described, a coin chute, mechanism controlled by a coin deposited in said chute, a pivoted lever, resilient means associated with saidlever engaged by said deposit ed coin to project and resiliently hold said lever across said chute against a wall thereof to close said chute to the passage of a second coin until after said mechanism has operated under the control of .said first coin.

\ 4. In a coin control apparatus, the combination of a coin chute, acoin return chute, a trip device pivotally secured to said coin chute, an upwardly extending arm integral with said trip device; a flared end portion for said armbent rearwardly and formed with an inclined face, an inclined slot in the said coin chute in which said inclined bent portion reciprocates,resilient means secured to said trip member extending downwardly and rearwardly'into a vertical slot and transverse of said chute, the resilient means being engaged by a coin inserted in said coin chute to tilt said trip member and move said inclined bent portionin the said inclined slot to yieldingly hold the same bridged across the said coin chute against a wall thereof whereby a subsequently inserted coin is stopped and caused to roll from said inclined surface into said coin return chute. 5. In a coin control apparatus the combination of a coin chute, a coin return chute, a trip device pivotally secured to said coin chute, an upwardly extending arm integral with said trip device, a flared end portion of said arm bent rearwardly and formed with an inclined face, a slot in said coin chute in which said inclined bent portion reciprocates, a resilient leaf spring secured to said trip member extending downwardly and rearwardly into a vertical slot which merges with said coin chute to permit said depending spring to bridge a portion of said coin chute, the descending coin said coin chutebeing adapted to be engaged by said bridging springto force the same out of said coin chute to tilt said trip member to move the inclined portion of said arm into said slot and into engagement with the wall of said coin chute, to bridge the same and yieldingly hold said bent inclined portion in engagement with said wall or said coin chute whereby a subsequently inserted coin is stopped and caused to roll from said inclined surface into said return chute. V

6. In a coin control apparatus, the combination of a coin chute, a coin return chute, a trip member pivotally secured to said coin chute, an upwardly extending arm integral with said trip device, a flared end portion for said arm bent rear Wardly and formed with an inclined surface, an

inclined slot in said chute in which said inclined bent portion reciprocates, resilient means secured to said trip member extending downwardly and rearwardly through a vertical slot in said coin chute and into said coin chute therein, said spring. being adapted to engage a coin inserted in said coin chute to tilt said trip device to move said inclined bent portion through saidinclined slot into said coin chute, to yieldingly hold the same bridged across thecoin chute and in engagement with the wall of said coin chute irrespective of the thickness of the inserted coin whereby a sub-- sequently inserted coin is stopped and caused to roll from said inclined surface into said coin return chute.

'i. In a coin controlled apparatus, the combination of a coin chute, a coin return chute, a trip member pivotally secured to said coinchute, an upwardly extending arm integral with said trip member, a flared end portion for said arm'bent rearwardly and formed with an inclined faceand an inclined slot in said chute in which said inclined bent portion reciprocates, a depending rearwardly extending finger integral with said trip member extending through a vertical slot in the face of the coin chute and into said coin chute, a resilient member secured to the rear face of said coin chute also extending through a slot in the rear face of the coin chute and and caused to roll from said inclined surface into said coin return chute.

member, a flared end portion for said arm extending rearwardly and formed with, an inclined face and an inclined slot in said chute in which 1 saidinclined portion of said arm reciprocates, a depending rearwardly extending finger integral with said trip member, extending through a vertical slotinthe face of the coin chute and into said coinchute, a resilientmember secured to the rear of said coin chute also, extending through a slot inthe rear face of the coin chute and into said coin chute, saidresilient means and said finger engaging an inserted coin, said engaged fingertilting said trip member to move said inclined portion through its associate slot into said coin chute to bridge the same, said resilient means engaging said inserted coin to positively hold the same in engagement with said finger to 'yieldingly hold the inclined end portion of the said trip member across the said coin slot in engagement with the wall of said coin chute irrespective of the thickness of the inserted coin and whereby a subsequently inserted coin is stopped and caused to roll from said inclined surface into said coin return, chute. j i

9. In a coin control apparatus the combination of a coin chute, a coin return chute, a trip device pivotally secured to said coinchute, an upwardly extending resilient arm secured to said trip meme her, a flared end portion of said resilient arm bent rearwardly and formed with an inclined 1 face, an inclined slot in said chute in which said inclined bent portion of said resilient armreciprocates, a depending finger integral with said trip member extending through a vertical slot said inclined slot into said coin chute and in I engagement with the wall of the coin slot to bridge the same, said resilient means maintain ing said finger positively in engagement with said deposited coin to permit a positive engagement of said flare end with the said coin slot wall and whereby a subsequently deposited coin is stopped and caused to roll from said inclined surface of said resilient arm .into said coin return chute.

10. In a coin control apparatus, the combina-' tion of a coin chute, a coin return chute, mechanism controlled by a coin'deposited in said chute, and tiltable resilient means affected by said de' posited coin and projected in said coin chute by said deposited coin for closing said chute to' the passage of subsequently deposited coins and deflecting said subsequentcoininto said return chute until after said mechanism has operated under the control of said first coin, said resilient means cooperating with said coin chute and any coin deposited therein to compensate. automatically for manufacturing. variations in the dimensions of said chute and for variations in the thicknesses of the coins deposited therein.

CHARLES. B. GILMORE. 

